


you are my shelter

by strifescloud



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Canon Disabled Character, M/M, Multi, gentle fluffy tenderness, however you want to take it, or more like venom/kaz/ocelot i guess, with a smidgen of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 04:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5277059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strifescloud/pseuds/strifescloud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snake's been missing in Afghanistan for twelve hours. Ocelot and Kaz, back at Mother Base, hold each other together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you are my shelter

**Author's Note:**

> hello yes here i am again with more tender gentleness bc i cant bring myself to write anything else honestly  
> uhh you can read this as bb (if you like to ignore the true ending) or venom (bc at this point everyone thinks he's bb anyway so) as Snake, because i spent so long trying to figure out which one i preferred before just giving up and writing the damn thing hahaha
> 
> more of an ocelhira focus this time bc i neglected them last time

Mother Base was quiet.

The view from the heliport was breathtaking, as always. The crystal-blue waters stretched onwards to the horizon to cradle the setting sun, contrasting with the last hues of orange that remained in the cloudless sky. The ocean was peaceful, unaffected by the slight breeze that blew between constructs on the platform. Kaz, however, was not watching the view.

It had been twelve hours since they had lost contact with Snake.

Intellectually Kaz knew that standing at the heliport would not make Pequod appear on the horizon (ideally with their Boss with him, safe and sound), yet he had felt compelled to come here nonetheless, unable to remain inside a minute longer. The Intel team was working as hard as they could, he knew, but their lack of results had worsening implications as the hour drew later. Kaz’s tension has risen as the ground teams radioed in negative after negative, unable to locate any sign of Snake, until he had stormed out without a word.

_Very professional, Miller,_ he thought sarcastically, though his professionalism was currently the least of his worries. It was not the first time he’d lost contact with Snake on a mission, nor would it be the last ( _if he even comes back, his luck can’t last forever-_ )

Shaking his head tightly to divest himself of such thoughts, Kaz returned his gaze to the distant horizon, though there was no sign of the transport helicopter. Snake always found his way home eventually, no matter what improbable circumstance he found himself in, right?

There was a dull throb in his phantom limbs. Snake always came back.

But _before_ he could have been out there himself, right alongside the search team. It was the wait that was killing him – waiting to find out if he would ever see one of the men he loved so dearly ever again.

The slow tap of footsteps, punctuated by the slight jingling of spurs, alerted him to the approach of the other. He stopped a few paces behind Kaz, but remained silent. The only sound was that of the other soldiers moving slowly around the platform, carried by the breeze.

“Miller.”

The brisk, impersonal tone would have stung had Kaz not been the one who insisted upon maintaining a professional image in front of the men. He turned his head slightly to one side, a gesture of acknowledgement, but remained silent.

“Intel’s picked up on a very promising lead, but it’s going to be a while before we’ll get any results from it. Couple of hours at least.”

He inclined his head, still silent, and turned back to face the horizon.

Though he heard the footsteps behind him, the gentle touch of a hand upon his arm managed to startle him still. His grip tightened on the crutch, white-knuckled beneath the glove.

“Kaz, please.” The voice was softer now, gentler, with none of the professional crispness he had used before. Kaz turned to face him. Ocelot’s expression was twisted into a concerned frown, brow furrowed as he stared at Kaz’s aviators, trying to catch the gaze behind them.

“You need to rest. Get some food, or sleep. Staring out into the ocean isn’t going to make them find him any faster.” Kaz scoffed at that, turning his head to avoid those piercing blue eyes. It was always difficult to say no to him once he had locked eyes with you – Snake lasted even less time than Kaz did, his resistance crumbling whenever Ocelot asked him to do _anything_. He would grumble about it, but Ocelot always got what he wanted. It was endearing, Kaz mused, his gaze travelling back up to another point on the horizon. No helicopters had appeared.

“Kaz,” Ocelot persisted, “what good are you to the men if you run yourself into the ground?”

The breeze had since stopped and the air was still. Kaz gave no reply. Ocelot took a deep breath.

“What good are you to him?”

It was a low blow, and from Ocelot’s expression when Kaz’s glare snapped back to his face, he knew it. But rather than start a fight with him as he would have once, Kaz only sighed. His quickly-flaring anger gave way under Ocelot’s concerned expression and the knowledge that he was _right_ , damn him. The gloved hand on his forearm gently travelled upwards, giving his upper arm a comforting squeeze as Ocelot lessened the distance between them.

“C’mon. We both need to sleep. The Intel team knows to wake me if they find anything.”

Giving another deep sigh, Kaz nodded, feeling the full force of his weariness now that sleep was a viable option. He allowed Ocelot to lead him across the base, the discreet warm hand on his lower back a source of comfort against the slight chill that had crept into his bones. Wordlessly, he was led to Snake’s quarters. There were no guards posted – why would there be, when Snake had been gone for _twelve hours_? Kaz had another flash of anxiety, lead weight on his muscles, and he leaned against the door as it slid shut behind them.

Ocelot – no, Adam here, when they were alone – strode further into the room, shrugging off his coat onto the back of a chair and running his gloved hands through his hair. Though he seemed collected, as always, the subtle signs of stress were visible if you knew where to look. He stood still for a long moment, head buried in his hands. Kaz stared at the tense line of his shoulders. They were trembling slightly as Adam took a deep, ragged breath.

The moment seemed to pass and Adam straightened, turning back towards Kaz and beckoning him forward. Kaz leaned his crutch against the dresser. They had rituals in this room, routines to be followed like holy scripture. Adam first presented his hands to Kaz, who peeled the gloves off the delicate fingers slowly, awkward and halting with only one hand. Despite his difficulty Adam never once showed a sign of impatience, waiting until the gloves had been placed side by side before continuing.

He slid the beret off Kaz’s head, running his hands through the blond hair and pressing a gentle kiss to his brow. The beret took its place on the dresser. Adam’s hands brushed Kaz’s aviators next, a silent request for permission. The aviators didn’t always come off – some nights were too much, the nightmares an oppressive force of terror that Kaz could not bear – but tonight he nodded, wanting to feel closer to Adam more than he wanted the dull haze to shield him from the world.

The silent exchange of rituals continued, the familiarity a comfort that soothed both their nerves despite Snake’s absence. Kaz was the first to crawl into bed, as always, pressing his back against the solid metal wall. Adam followed, laying on the outer edge with one arm dangling absently off the bed – the same places they always slept. The empty space between them where Snake would normally be suddenly felt like a gaping chasm, impassable and impossibly wide.

Eventually Adam rolled over, locking eyes with Kaz’s, which were still wide open. He sighed.

“C’mere.” He murmured, shuffling towards the centre of the bed and extending an arm towards Kaz, who hesitated for only a moment before conceding. Abandoning the perceived safety of the wall, he instead pressed his back against Adam’s warm chest, allowing the other man to wind his arms around his waist, their legs tangling together. Adam pressed another kiss to Kaz’s shoulder.

“Go to sleep, Kaz.”

“Will you sleep?”

Adam gave a noncommittal hum in response, one of his hands finding Kaz’s in the dark.

“Not an answer.” Kaz mumbled in complaint, but fatigue had finally caught up with him and he found his eyes sliding shut, unable to stay open any longer.

* * *

The first rays of the dawn had only just risen over the horizon when Adam’s iDroid beeped impatiently, startling them both out of the restless sleep they were in. Adam was up like a shot, striding across the room to check on the device. Kaz stared blankly at the opposite wall, startled by the transition from nightmare to reality. His usual fare had been replaced by visions of Snake, dying alone in Afghanistan, his body swallowed by the sand – never to come home. He swallowed, feeling a lead weight in his stomach. The image fresh in his mind, he turned to Adam, expecting the worst.

Adam’s face was a mask of relief, his eyes lit up with restrained joy.

“They’ve found him. He’s alive.”

The breath Kaz let out took most of his tension with it as he flopped back onto the bed, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Of course he is.” He breathed, feeling the weight of his fear ease at last.

Adam hauled Kaz out of bed, helping him quickly dress as he gave him a run-down of what the Intel team had found. The stream of words continued as they headed out of the living quarters towards the helipad. Ocelot, Kaz noted with a slight smile, always seemed to have a lot to say when it came to their Boss.

They came to a halt at a suitable distance from the landing site, the black smudge of a helicopter on the horizon just coming into view. They were not alone – several of the men, especially those who were closer to Snake, had come to see their Boss come home. Flaming Buffalo stood at the front of them, a cheerful grin on her face as she peered into the distance at the approaching helicopter.

Glancing around the platform, Kaz noticed the slight gleam of metal on one of the taller structures in the distance. Most likely Quiet watching. He felt a twinge of anger at the thought, though there was nothing he could do about it. Maybe she just wanted to check on her target.

His wandering attention snapped back to the helipad as the chopper finally landed. D-Dog bounded out as soon as the door opened, barking excitedly at the crowd that had gathered. Kaz kept his gaze trained on the helicopter.

Snake finally emerged, hopping off the chopper to land on the concrete with a grimace. Kaz let out a breath he hadn’t even realised he was holding. Snake was splattered with blood and grime, clearly fatigued and moving in a way that betrayed the ache in his muscles. But he was _alive_ , and that was enough.

He greeted the men first, motioning for them to drop the salute they were holding. He graciously allowed Flaming Buffalo to clap him affectionately on the shoulder with only a slight wince, nodding at her as she shepherded the remaining soldiers back to their stations, their Boss’s safety confirmed. D-Dog ran behind them, clearly ecstatic to be back on the base, and Kaz noted that the metallic gleam on the horizon had also disappeared.

Snake waited until Pequod had begun the helicopter’s ascent before he turned and moved towards them, his movements slow and careful. He met Ocelot’s gaze first, a silent moment passing between them, laden with the history that Kaz didn’t share. Then his eyes moved to Kaz and a fond smile began to form.

“I’m home.”

Kaz let out a disbelieving laugh, feeling himself smile at the sheer _inanity_ of such a statement. He did not protest when Snake drew both him and Ocelot closer, heedless of the dirt and grime that would now be on all three of them. He felt lips press against his hairline first, then felt Snake move his head to do the same to Ocelot. None of them moved for a very long moment.

“I desperately need to shower.” Snake finally spoke, though he made no effort to move. Kaz was the first to draw away from Snake, tapping him lightly on the back of the leg with his crutch.

“Move it, then.” He teased, his smile still not fading. Snake groaned, mock-disappointed, but began to shuffle towards his quarters. Ocelot remained a hair’s breadth from Snake the entire way there, his eyes barely leaving the other man’s face. Kaz wondered if Ocelot, who prided himself on being the master of secrets, knew how obvious he was – practically the whole base knew. Not so much about the three of them, but Ocelot couldn’t be subtle about his adoration if his life depended on it. It was… _cute_ , for lack of a better word, he supposed.

Mother Base operations resumed as normal after Snake had showered and given them the full story of what had happened out there – and once Kaz has practically pried Ocelot from Snake’s side. That night, safely ensconced in Snake’s quarters, their rituals flowed easily, the simple motions of three people completely at ease with each other.

They had been lying in bed for at least twenty minutes – Kaz pressed up against the wall, Adam perched on the edge, Snake a solid presence between them – when Snake spoke.

“I nearly didn’t make it back.”

Kaz went very still.

“There was a moment, holed up in some ruins, when I thought…” he trailed off as Kaz heard Adam push himself up to look at Snake, trying to make out his features in the pitch-blackness of the room. Kaz had his hand on Snake’s waist, his thumb moving gently back and forth.

“Then I thought about never getting back here. To you two. And I made it.” Snake’s hand found Kaz’s, grasping it tightly. Adam curled up against Snake’s side, preferring the closeness to his usual sprawl, murmuring something that even Kaz didn’t quite catch.

There, safe between the wall and the two men he loved most in this world, Kaz finally entered a dreamless sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> yay alright!!  
> title from the Say Anything song "The Shape of Love to Come" and the work was written with their early rarities album and secret origins demos on repeat. go listen!!
> 
> hope you guys enjoyed, please feel free to come join me on tumblr at strifescloud.tumblr.com because i have maybe 3 metal gear followers ahahah  
> thanks for reading!! <3


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